Madeleine the Movie Maven

New blog categories

So I thought it would be fun to expand my movie review blog to include categories other than the current "Film" category, such "On DVD," "Writer Spotlight (movie marathon suggestions)," and "Madeleine's Film Lab (trailer experiments)."

With "On DVD," I'll review films you (and I) may have missed while they were out in theaters, or those that I think you, dear movie fans, would enjoy seeing again. This category features its own rating system:

- Add it to your collection
- Worth full rental price
- Good “rainy day” flick
- Use a rental coupon
- Not even free from the library

I started with The Motorcycle Diaries (see post below). Coming soon: Little Miss Sunshine and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang reviews, as well as blogs in the other categories mentioned above....

Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy my review of a great foreign film about revolutionary Che Guevara.

M.

On DVD: The Motorcycle Diaries - a road trip worth taking

Screenwriter: Jose Rivera (based on Notas de viaje by Ernesto Guevara and “Con el Che por America Latina” by Alberto Granado)

Is it me or have “road trip” movies become as abundant as mafia movies? If you answered ‘Yes, Madeleine, I think they have,’ you may be interested to know that a new type of spoof genre is right around the corner: “Not Another Road Trip” movies. Okay, I’m kidding. But don’t be surprised if you see a trailer for one on a silver screen near you some day soon. It just seems like we haven’t had a decent road trip movie since Rain Man or Thelma and Louise. But I digress a bit….

Focus Features, the same studio that brought you 21 Grams, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Lost in Translation and many other hits, has proven it still has the Midas Touch with The Motorcycle Diaries. This is a powerful foreign film that portrays the turning point in young Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s life when he decided to abandon a promising career as a doctor to help people in a different way – by fighting against tyranny and oppression.

Based on the diaries Guevara kept of their travels and a book by his friend and travel buddy, biochemist Alberto Granado, TMD recounts the adventures of these two best friends as they explore their homeland continent of South America on Granado’s beloved Norton 500 motorcycle. Even though the motorcycle doesn’t make the planned four-month, 8,000-kilometer trip (that actually took almost 12,500 kilometers and six months), the spirit of a meaningful life experience never died.

This is a wonderful story about an idealist who is shocked by life’s harsh realities and decides to take action and help the underdogs of the world. Gael Garcia Bernal (Amores Perros, Y Tu Mama Tabien, Babel) gives a compelling performance as Guevara, beautifully portraying him as a compassionate hero in the making, a true man of the people. And he does so without being egotistical or self-aggrandizing. Che’s own words describe it best: “This isn’t a tale of heroic feats. It’s about two lives running parallel for a while, with common aspirations and similar dreams.”

Although Guevara and Granado (Rodrigo De la Serna) have been forever changed by their shared experiences – meeting downtrodden indigenous peoples and lepers who’ve been shoved aside by society, their common aspirations eventually send them on different paths, as each pursues his calling to help those less fortunate than they.

What I liked: Everything, from the writing, acting and directing to the cinematography and scenery. I felt like I was a third member of the road trip. Now I know why it was nominated for an Oscar® (Best Adapted Screenplay).

What I didn’t: The subtitles went by a little too quickly in places, forcing me to back up a few times. Speaking of…

For those of you who shy away from subtitles in foreign films, I have three words for you: Suck it up! Try something new. You’re only cheating yourself by watching the dubbed version. (Okay that’s fifteen words. But you get my point.) Believe me, the dubbed English version is never as good as the original script. And once you get used to reading the subtitles, you really don’t miss a lot of the action.

Madeleine says: Worth full rental price.

What do you say?

By the way, Benicio Del Toro (21 Grams, Traffic, The Usual Suspects) is set to star as Che Guevara in two movies due out in 2008: Guerrilla and The Argentine. Both will be directed by Steven Soderbergh, and will examine Che’s rise as a revolutionary and folk hero.

The Good Shepherd - another great holiday flick

Screenwriter: Eric Roth

I must say, I continue to be pleased with this year’s holiday blockbuster lineup. This film is another excellent Hollywood offering that has the potential to garner an award or two at the Oscars®.

The Good Shepherd is a biopic about a complex man who led a complicated, yet focused, life as a CIA agent for the United States during the Cold War. Edward Wilson (Matt Damon) was the quintessential gentleman spy who was actually a poet at heart. An extreme introvert by nature (and probably due to a childhood tragedy), Wilson seemed destined to guard the important secrets of the world, including how his father had died (which one could argue was the reason for his inability to connect with his own family).

So how did this gentle man get mixed up in all this cloak ‘n dagger business? It all started when he was tapped to be a member of Yale’s Order of Skull and Bones “fraternity,” that’s groomed several U.S. presidents, congressman and other dignitaries. General Bill Sullivan (Robert De Niro), who was assigned the task of setting up the CIA, felt Wilson’s patriotism, integrity and discretion made him an obvious candidate to head the world’s most notorious spy organization.

This film is really two stories entwined as one: (1) how Edward Wilson, the patriot and workaholic, protects America, and works with our allies to protect our country’s interests from World War II through the Bay of Pigs invasion; and (2) the detrimental affect his work has on his family life. Ironically, although Wilson had to spend his son’s formative years overseas, their lives ended up to be hauntingly similar in many ways.

The Good Shepherd boasts an all-star cast featuring: Angelina Jolie as Wilson’s wife, Clover; John Turturro as Ray Brocco, Wilson’s wise-cracking “muscle”; William Hurt as Philip Allen, Wilson’s boss; Alec Baldwin as FBI agent Sam Murach, Wilson’s “Deep Throat”; and Robert De Niro (who also directed this film) as General Bill Sullivan.

What I liked: This is a high-level, well-written drama that history buffs, spy aficionados and regular folks alike will enjoy. The acting is first-rate, as expected. Angelina Jolie gives an especially moving performance. However, I disagree with those critics who have dubbed it the “Godfather” of all spy movies. That may be true if you’re comparing the length or somber mood of both films. But if they mean it’s “the greatest spy movie ever,” in my opinion, most of the James Bond films still top that list for me.

What I didn’t: I found the jumping back and forth in time a little difficult; it was hard to keep track of what happened when. And at 2 hours and 40 minutes long, I felt myself squirm a lot during the third act (last 45 minutes or so). But I don’t know what part(s) they could’ve edited to make it shorter.

Madeleine says: Worth full price.

What do you say?

Blood Diamond is Oscar-bound

Screenwriter: Charles Leavitt

The critics aren't exaggerating. Every accolade Blood Diamond has received is justly deserved. In fact, if this movie doesn't win an Oscar® for Best Picture, Best Actor* Djimon Hounsou, Best Original Screenplay and/or Best Director, I'm going to be one very angry movie fan. Yes, it's that good.

This is one of those movies where you leave the theatre thinking how damn lucky you are to live in the United States of America. Granted, we have our socio-economic and political problems stateside that need to be resolved, but at least we don't have truckloads of rebels driving through the streets gunning down innocent civilians over a mineral with a man-made dollar value arbitrarily attached to it. Oh, and did I mention kidnapping said innocent civilians, including children, to dig diamonds for these evil, greedy bastards?

Leonardo DiCaprio's character, Danny Archer, an ex-mercenary turned smuggler, sums up the situation appropriately with his off-the-cuff, yet profound statement: "You know, in America it's bling-bling, but out here's it's bling-bang."

Inspired by the real life diamond trade "conflict" during Sierra Leone's civil war in the early 1990s, Blood Diamond is a riveting tale of the risks two men will take in order to save someone. In fisherman Solomon Vandy's (Djimon Hounsou) case, it's rescuing his son from the ruthless RUF rebels. For Danny Archer, it's rescuing himself by escaping from what he calls a "God-forsaken continent." Enter journalist Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly) who's on her own mission – to expose diamond industry leaders engaging in the illegal trade of "blood" or "conflict" diamonds. With her help, Vandy and Archer embark on a dangerous trek to recover the one thing that could save them all – the enormous, uncut pink diamond Vandy hid in the hills of a rebel-occupied diamond mine.

Like the characteristics of a diamond, this film has 4 c's of its own:
- compelling story
- brilliant cast (Hounsou, DiCaprio)
- superb cinematography
- captivating writing

What I liked: This movie is destined to become a classic. I have no doubt that it will stand the test of time. The story is so moving, I actually left the theatre thinking twice about wanting to own a diamond. The cinematography was outstanding! At times, I felt like I was part of the crowd running for their lives when the rebels shot up a town. Hounsou's performance was nothing short of brilliant. I'm a stickler when it comes to accents - DiCaprio's was spot on throughout the movie.

What I didn't: I wouldn't change a thing.

Madeleine says: I'd pay to see it twice! And I'll definitely add it to my DVD collection.

* Although this is one of my favorite DiCaprio performances, and probably Oscar-worthy as well, I think he deserves a bigger nod for his role in The Departed. Of course, I'd be very happy if he were nominated for both.

What do you say?

Déjà Vu: Great film, but bring your physics primer

Screenwriters: Bill Marsilii, Terry Rossio

I’ve been struggling with this movie review for about two weeks. Not because the movie is bad – I think it’s one of the top three movies I’ve seen so far this year. The problem is that I thought Déjà Vu was great up until the end. The resolution didn’t make sense to me, and I can’t say why unless I tell you how it ended, which I don’t like to do.

But before we get into that, let’s start with something a little easier, like the plot. Déjà Vu is a fast-paced action/thriller about one possible benefit for being able to travel back in time. This is an original, imaginative and enthralling story about a domestic terrorist (Jim Caviezel) who blows up a ferry with 500 passengers on board. ATF agent Doug Carlin (Washington) is assigned to the case and during the investigation he stumbles upon another dead body, Claire Kuchever (Paula Patton, Hitch), that may or may not be related to the bombing incident.

FBI Agent Andrew Pryzwarra (Val Kilmer) invites Carlin to join their task force to help solve the bombing. The task force has access to top secret U.S. government technology that allows “big brother” to review surveillance, taken from public cameras and satellites, from the past four days to the present. However, the technology turns out to be a time machine of sorts, and they use it to try to prevent the bombing of the ferry and Claire's death.

Now, if you’ve read anything about time travel, you may have heard of what is sometimes referred to as the “grandfather paradox.” Basically, this theory states that if you travel back to the past, there’s a danger you could end up killing your own grandfather before he met your grandmother, which would result in your never being born. Which means that you could never have traveled back to the past, which means you couldn’t kill your grandfather and, therefore, you would be born, and could travel back in time to kill your grandfather… and round and round we go. (Click here and here for detailed explanations about this theory.) Some writers get around this problem by introducing a different theory. Please see the SPOILER section below to continue reading the rest of this discussion.

What I liked: original screenplay; another intelligent, hip, Denzel performance; similar edgy directing style Scott used in Man on Fire

What I didn’t: the title -- déjà vu has nothing to do with time travel; the ending -- see Spoiler section below….

Madeleine says: Worth full price, even with the problems at the end

What do you say?

WARNING: BIG SPOILER AHEAD

This is a little complicated, so I’ll try to keep my stream of consciousness as simple as possible. As you read above, this movie is about traveling back in time to alter events that have already happened to prevent future tragedies from occurring. The screenwriter tries to get around the “grandfather paradox” by introducing another theory – alternative or parallel universes, whereby Doug Carlin travels back in time, takes care of business, stops the bomb from doing any serious damage, and gets killed in the process. Meanwhile, Claire is saved and ends up meeting Doug, who doesn’t recognize her because he hasn’t found her dead body yet because she hasn’t been killed, because the other Doug went back to the past to alter events to stop that from happening. And here’s the $64 million question: Why is Doug Carlin alive? By going back to the past, and getting killed, he never should have met Claire. But apparently, Doug went back to a parallel universe to fix things, and that's why he's still alive in the first universe. Confused yet?

I should tell you that the amount of knowledge I possess regarding physics and time travel could fit inside my contact case. I will also tell you that I do "suspend belief" when the story warrants it. However, this “parallel universe” solution just doesn’t compute.

The big problem I have is, Doug Carlin should not be alive at the end of the movie. Or, Claire should still have died. And if Doug really did fix everything in the other universe, how and why did his actions affect things in the first universe? The whole thing makes my atoms ache. But then I remind myself that it’s just a movie, and even physicists don’t really know for sure if time travel is possible. So, in conclusion, I still recommend seeing Déjà Vu. Just try not to think about the ending too much.

Off I go to read more about parallel universes.

Stranger Than Fiction is no stranger to real laughs

Screenwriter: Zach Helm

This is a movie review about a charming film called Stranger Than Fiction. While some other movies are busy regurgitating canned humor and thin plotlines to get guffaws, STF delivers a well-crafted, imaginative and heartwarming tale about Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) who wakes up one morning to discover he has a second inner voice.

This voice, which narrates his life in a way that only he can hear, belongs to bestselling novelist Karen “Kay” Eiffel (Emma Thompson), who’s struggling to find the perfect ending to her latest tragic novel. In a strange twist of fate, Harold’s regimented life as an IRS agent becomes intertwined with Kay’s writing, and the voice reveals that certain events have been set in motion that would lead to Harold’s imminent and untimely death.

As if Harold didn’t have enough problems. He has just met the love of his life, an anti-government bakery owner named Ana Pascal (Maggie Gyllenhaal) whom he is required to audit. Spurred on by his new found (albeit unrequited) love, Harold refuses to succumb to the voice’s prediction. Being the deliberate left-brainer that he is, he seeks advice from literary professor Jules Hilbert (Dustin Hoffman) to prevent his demise and reinstate new meaning into his life.

What I liked: This is one of the best films I’ve seen this year; great cast/acting… this is my favorite Will Farrell performance; witty script; the website is also very cool

What I didn’t: Can’t think of anything

Madeleine says: Worth full price

What do you say?